Initially announced in 2014, the upcoming “Barbie” movie has quickly become one of the most anticipated releases of 2023.
Audiences have praised and criticized each “Barbie” update (this is one of the most beloved toys of all time, after all), but this April, Warner Bros.’ released the official first-look image of Margot Robbie as Barbie, and anticipation has been growing ever since — especially after Warner Bros.’ stoked the flames with our first look at Ryan Gosling as Ken.
In addition to co-writing the latest “Barbie” draft, Oscar-nominated “Little Women” and “Lady Bird” filmmaker Greta Gerwig is directing the project. In addition to starring as the titular character, Robbie is also a producer alongside “Dallas Buyers Club” producer Robbie Brenner (Mattel Films) and “Harry Potter” producer David Heyman (Heyday Films), as well as her husband, Tom Ackerley (LuckyChap Entertainment).
Below, we run down everything we know about the “Barbie” movie so far — from the release date to the cast to the project’s lengthy production history.
When did “Barbie” come out?
In celebration of the Mattel doll’s 60th anniversary, “Barbie” was released in theaters on July 21, 2023
Who is in the “Barbie” cast?
Character posters have revealed more details about previously announced cast members.
The highly anticipated film includes an ensemble of very different actors and actresses. Robbie is to star as the “main” Barbie, coupled with Ryan Gosling as the “main” Ken. It’s been revealed there will be different versions of Barbie. Issa Rae (“Insecure”) will play President Barbie, Hari Nef (“And Just Like That…”) will play a Barbie doctor, Emma Mackey (“Sex Education”) will play a Barbie who has a Nobel Prize in physics, Kate McKinnon (“Saturday Night Live”) will play a Barbie always in the splits, Ana Cruz Kayne (“Little Women”) will play a Supreme Court Justice Barbie, Sharon Rooney (“Dumbo”) will play a lawyer Barbie and Emerald Fennell (“Promising Young Woman”) will play a Midge Barbie. Midge was marketed as Barbie’s best friend, and a later pregnant version of the Midge doll was taken off the market due to controversy. Alexandra Shipp (“Tick, Tick, Boom…”) will play a celebrated author Barbie, Ritu Arya (“The Umbrella Academy”) will play a Pulitzer prize-winning Barbie.
Simu Liu (Marvel’s “Shang-Chi”), Kingsley Ben-Adir (“High Fidelity,” Marvel’s “Secret Invasion”), Scott Evans (“Almost Love”), Ncuti Gatwa (“Sex Education”) will play alternate versions of Ken. There’s only one Allan though, and that is Michael Cera (“Superbad”). America Ferrera (“Superstore”), Will Ferrell, Ariana Greenblatt (“Avengers: Infinity War”), Connor Swindells (“Sex Education”), and Jamie Demetriou (“Fleabag”) will play human characters.
Nicola Coughlan and Dua Lipa have been confirmed with the release of their character posters. Dua Lipa will play a blue mermaid reminiscent to Barbie Mermaidia’s Nori. Nicola Coughlan will play a diplomat Barbie.
Dame Helen Mirren has been revealed as the film’s narrator.
Between Greta Gerwig and Christopher Nolan’s upcoming films, every Hollywood actor might be appearing in theaters in July 2023. Nolan’s upcoming film — and potential box office rival — “Oppenheimer” might have cast everyone who isn’t in “Barbie.”
What is “Barbie” about?
The teaser trailer watches Gosling’s Ken do everything to get Robbie’s Barbie’s attention on a crowded beach full of other Barbies and Kens. At the end of the clip, Gosling and Robbie drive her pink convertible car out into the real world, getting flipped upside down in the car before landing squarely on the side of the road. Robbie’s Barbie makes sure Gosling’s Ken has his roller blades before they proceed any further.
After Margot Robbie’s Letterboxd account, and her list “Watch for Barbie,” went viral on Twitter, Letterboxd and Twitter users began to speculate what they believe “Barbie” could possibly be about. Robbie’s ”Watch for Barbie” list of films includes, “Splash” (1984), “Puberty Blues” (1981), “The Truman Show” (1998), and two of Jaques Demy’s musicals “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” (1964) and “The Young Girls of Rochefort” (1967). Some fans have theorized “Barbie” might include musical numbers, but the cast and crew have been very tight-lipped about what they’re working on.
Wasn’t Amy Schumer supposed to be in it?
The “Barbie” project actually has a pretty lengthy development history. Originally, writers Diablo Cody and Jenny Bicks’ wrote a screenplay in 2014 for a potential Sony “Barbie” franchise. By 2016, Amy Schumer joined the project and revamped the script with Hillary Winston, focusing the story on a woman who is kicked out of “Barbie-ville,” due to her inability to meet its standards of physical perfection. After “scheduling conflicts” — later revealed as creative differences — Schumer left the production in 2018.
By 2019, “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood” actress Margot Robbie and Warner Bros. took over the production, attaching Greta Gerwig (“Little Women”) and Noah Baumbach (“Marriage Story”) to write the screenplay, with Gerwig directing.
Schumer told The Hollywood Reporter in 2022 that Barbie inventing a shoe made out of Jell-O was one of the reasons she left. She saw Barbie as an inventor, but she didn’t like the invention.
She also told Andy Cohen on an episode of “Watch What Happens Live” that instead of “scheduling conflicts,” she had some “creative differences” that brought her to exit the project.
Were there other actors in the running to play Kens?
Casting directors Lucy Bevan and Allison Jones told Vanify Fair that Bowen Yang (“Saturday Night Live,” “Fire Island”), Dan Levy (“Schitt’s Creek”) and Ben Platt (“Dear Evan Hansen”) almost ended up playing different variations of Ken, but COVID logistics that limited travel ultimately cut them out of the running.
Jonathan Groff (“Mindhunter,” “Looking”) also considered the role of Allan before Michael Cera ended up landing it. Groff bowed out because of location issues as well.
When did filming start?
“Barbie” began filming at Warner Bros.’ Leavesden Studios in London in early 2022.
Most importantly, will “Barbie” feature Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” in the film?
Unfortunately, audience members looking forward to seeing Robbie’s Barbie and Gosling’s Ken accompanied by the 1997 pop song will be disappointed to learn it will not be in the film. By the looks of the main trailer, a song by Nicki Minaj featured in the film might interpolate the beloved classic.
So far, the soundtrack lineup includes Ava Max, Charli XCX, Dominic Fike, Dua Lipa, FIFTY FIFTY, GAYLE, HAIM, Ice Spice, Kali, KAROL G, Khalid, Lizzo, Nicki Minaj, Pink Pantheress, Ryan Gosling, Tame Impala and The Kid Laroi. More musical Barbies and Kens — such as Billie Eilish and Sam Smith — have been announced as well.
Dua Lipa, who will star as blue mermaid Barbie, announced her song “Dance the Night” for the film’s soundtrack on Instagram. The song released Friday, May 26.
So far the soundtrack titles available to stream are Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night,” FIFTY FIFTY’s “Barbie Dreams (feat. Kaliii), Charli XCX’s “Speed Drive” KAROL G’s “WATATI (feat. Aldo Ranks)” and Pink Pantheress’s “Angel.”